Lampang Checkpoint Seizes 800,000 Meth Pills

Pictures courtesy of Khaosod 

Police in Lampang have seized 800,000 methamphetamine pills after intercepting two modified “merit vans” allegedly used to transport drugs, arresting one driver while another fled into the darkness. The operation was revealed on 9 December at Lampang Provincial Police Headquarters, where officials confirmed that officers from Sobprab Police Station intercepted the vehicles at a highway checkpoint four days earlier. Authorities said the seized narcotics represented a major blow to a trafficking network believed to be operating between the South and the North.

The incident occurred at 21:35 on 5 December at the Sobprab narcotics checkpoint on Phahonyothin Road in Moo 15, Sobprab district. Officers led by Pol Lt Chalermchai Theppasut were alerted by an informant that a grey Toyota van with Pattani plates might be transporting drugs. When the vehicle arrived, police stopped it and identified the driver as Mr Posinthu, 46, from Songkhla, who appeared disoriented and showed signs of possible drug influence, though no contraband was found during the vehicle search.

Further investigation revealed frequent Line communications on the driver’s phone with another user, leading officers to believe that a second van was travelling in the same convoy. A search of the surrounding area located a second van bearing Bangkok plates and the same “merit van” sticker, parked at a petrol station 500 metres from the checkpoint. As officers approached, the driver fled on foot behind the station under cover of darkness, evading arrest.

A detailed search of the abandoned van uncovered four large sacks sealed with black tape and containing 25 compressed bundles of methamphetamine, totalling approximately 800,000 pills. Police identified the fugitive driver as Mr Thinnaphat, 37, from Pattani, who is believed to have been responsible for transporting the drugs. Mr Posinthu, described as the lead vehicle’s driver, was detained and handed to investigators at Sobprab Police Station.

Khoasod reported that police have charged the suspects with “jointly possessing Category 1 narcotics for the purpose of sale without permission, an act carried out for commercial gain causing widespread distribution and affecting national security and public safety.” Officers said efforts are under way to track down Mr Thinnaphat and investigate the wider network behind the attempted drug shipment. Authorities also noted that the vehicles’ outward appearance as “merit vans” may have been intended to reduce suspicion at checkpoints.

Key Takeaways

• Police seized 800,000 methamphetamine pills from an abandoned van in Lampang after intercepting two linked vehicles.

• One driver was arrested while the other escaped on foot as officers approached a petrol station.

• Investigators are pursuing the fugitive suspect and working to uncover the broader trafficking network.

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-12-10